<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3O0nHL_1H3UYQMt00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3O0nHL_1H3UYQMt00" width="1448" height="636" ></figure>After a months-long search, the city of Webster Groves has announced three finalists for its next city manager.The finalists are Scott Davis, who has been serving as the interim city manager, Molly B. Mehner and Dana L. Schoening.Residents, business owners and community members are invited to meet the finalists during a public reception on Monday, Nov. 16, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Webster Groves City Hall, 4 E. Lockwood Ave.“Each candidate brings a wealth of municipal leadership experience, and we welcome the opportunity to learn more about their qualifications and vision for our city,” Mayor Laura Arnold said.The city, which engaged Washington-based GMP Consultants for roughly $35,000 to conduct the search for candidates, expects to select the next city manager after evaluating finalists. The Webster Groves City Council next meets on Nov. 17, the day after the meet-and-greet, but the city has not yet said when its selection will be announced.The city manager serves as the chief administrative officer of Webster Groves, a municipality in St. Louis County that’s home to roughly 24,000 residents. The city manager is responsible for overseeing daily municipal operations, implementing policies established by the council, managing city departments and ensuring the efficient delivery of municipal services.Scott DavisDavis is currently serving as the interim city manager and deputy city manager of strategic innovation for Webster Groves. As deputy city manager of strategic innovation, Davis manages the city’s information technology division, parks and recreation department, and public works department. His starting salary in that role was $137,500.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4BzN7y_1H3UYQMt00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4BzN7y_1H3UYQMt00" width="1000" height="1333" >He also oversees significant budgets and special projects, most notably the Prop W construction of the new water park, renovation of the ice rink and facility upgrades at city hall. Davis was tapped as interim city manager in February after the sudden resignation of former City Manager Marie Peoples. His pay increased from $145,922 to $190,000 for the interim role.“I know I speak for all of council when I say we appreciate and look forward to working with Scott through this transition phase,” Mayor Arnold said when Davis was appointed to the interim role. “He is a seasoned, tenured manager who has consistently exceeded expectations in his years of service to the residents of Webster.”Davis initially joined the city in 2014 as Webster’s director of parks and recreation, a position he held for 10 years.He previously worked for Richmond Heights, a city of about 9,000 residents. There, he spent 15 years as a recreation specialist, recreation supervisor, recreation manager, superintendent and deputy director of parks and recreation. He also served on the board of directors for the Missouri Parks and Recreation Association.Molly MehnerMehner has over 30 years of municipal government experience, most recently serving as the town administrator in Collierville, Tennessee, home to about 51,000 residents. She “amicably parted ways” with the city after four years in September following a public dispute with Collierville’s fire chief, according to ABC 24 in Memphis. She received a severance package that included nine months pay and a mutual non-disparagement clause with the city.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1UKw18_1H3UYQMt00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1UKw18_1H3UYQMt00" width="1000" height="1333" >According to local news reports in Tennessee, Mehner is being sued by Collierville’s longtime former fire battalion chief for First Amendment retaliation and violating Tennessee’s Public Employee Political Freedom Act, which protects public employee communication with elected officials for job-related purposes.Mehner’s previous positions include deputy city manager and assistant city manager of development services for Cape Girardeau, Missouri (about 40,000 residents); senior planner in Paradise Valley, Arizona (about 12,000 residents); and project planning manager for Glendale, Arizona (about 260,000 residents).During her time at Cape Girardeau, Mehner oversaw the relocation of city hall and the development of Cape’s SportsPlex, according to Cape Girardeau news outlets.In Arizona, Mehner was involved in several large-scale projects including a 220-acre development housing the arena for the Arizona Coyotes professional ice hockey team. She also was a facility project manager for the new Arizona Cardinals NFL stadium.Dana SchoeningSchoening is the city manager for Tuttle, Oklahoma, which is about 30 minutes outside Oklahoma City with a population of about 8,000 residents. He has been in the role for about four years.<img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2QATnq_1H3UYQMt00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2QATnq_1H3UYQMt00" width="1000" height="1333" >He previously served as the first director of planning and development services for Sweetwater, Texas. When he left the position for Tuttle, the city of Sweetwater honored Schoening for leading the newly-created planning and development services department and “overseeing a comprehensive master planning process from scratch,” according to the Sweetwater Reporter.Schoening has over 25 years of experience in municipal government and community planning. His previous positions include assistant city manager of operations for Sweetwater, Texas; director of community development for Wichita Falls, Texas (about 101,000 residents); director of planning and development services in Abilene, Texas (about 125,000 residents); and director of community development in Duncan, Oklahoma (about 22,000 residents).He was a finalist for the county administrator in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, as well as city administrator positions in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.Former City Manager WoesFormer City Manager Peoples, who was hired in 2021, suddenly and inexplicably resigned in February 2026.Peoples, nor anyone with the city, has ever provided a reason for her departure. She was given a severance package of $138,123, which reflected seven months of pay and benefits at her base salary of $220,586.Although Webster officials publicly praised Peoples when she left the city, her tenure was marked by controversies involving the police and fire departments, and multiple complaints from current and former employees that she created a “toxic” work environment. A number of top officials left the city early into her tenure, with dozens upon dozens of other employees following. Peoples, who was recently hired as the city manager of Killeen, Texas, came to Webster from government work in Coconino County in Arizona. Shortly after being hired in Webster, Peoples appointed her Arizona colleague, Eric Peterson, as the assistant city manager and finance director in Webster. In August 2026, an investigation by the Missouri State Auditor’s Office revealed that Peterson, who resigned in late 2024, and another former employee spent more than $4,300 for personal use on city credit cards in 2024.Webster Groves residents on Nov. 3 voted against removing the residency requirement for the city manager position. Candidates who do not live in the city can be selected for the position, but must move to Webster within a reasonable time frame.</div></body>

Show less about: NFL

Block Source: timesnewspapers.com

Misinformation

Clickbait

Old or repetitive news

Explicit content

Location not relevant

After a months-long search, the city of Webster Groves has announced three finalists for its next city manager. The finalists are Scott Davis, who has been serving as the interim city manager, Molly B. Mehner and Dana L. Schoening. Residents, business owners and community members are invited to meet the...

Webster Groves: Three Finalists Announced For City Manager

NewsBreak

After a months-long search, the city of Webster Groves has announced three finalists for its next city manager. The finalists are Scott Davis, who has been

Webster Groves: Three Finalists Announced For City Manager

Comments